INTERACTION ANALYSIS OF MEXICAN-AMERICAN AND NEGRO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO COLLEGE ORIENTATION.

HEDLEY, CAROLYN; WARD, ROBERT

NON-COLLEGE BOUND MEXICAN-AMERICAN AND NEGRO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN AN OVERNIGHT COLLEGE ORIENTATION CONFERENCE STAFFED BY STUDENT VOLUNTEERS TO DISCOVER THE NATURE OF THE INTERACTION PROCESS BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. NONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE ELIGIBLE WITH RESPECT TO GRADES FOR ADMITTANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA. GROUPS OF SIX TO EIGHT STUDENTS WERE LED BY A MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT COUNSELOR. DISCUSSION SESSIONS WERE TAPED AND ANALYZED, AND THE INTERACTION WAS JUDGED BY THREE JUDGES. STUDENT REACTION WAS MEASURED. THE EMOTIVE NATURE OF THE INTERACTION SEEMED TO SUGGEST FLIGHT, OR LACK OF COMMITMENT. NEGROES WERE MORE VERBAL THAN MEXI AN-AMERICANS, WITH OVERALL INTERACTION BEING MODERATE. COUNSELORS DID NOT REJECT STUDENT BEHAVIOR, AND STUDENTS SOLICITED MUCH INFORMATION FROM COUNSELORS. STUDENT REACTION TO THE CONFERENCE WAS NOT EXTREME IN TERMS OF THE REACTIONS POSSIBLE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE GROUP, THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH SEEMED PLEASED WITH THE COLLEGE CONFERENCE. (PH)